Elizabeth Whitworth

Senior SEO Writer

Elizabeth has a lifelong love of books. She devours nonfiction, especially in the areas of history, theology, and philosophy. A switch to audiobooks has kindled her enjoyment of well-narrated fiction, particularly Victorian and early 20th-century works. She appreciates idea-driven books—and a classic murder mystery now and then. Elizabeth has a Substack and is writing a book about what the Bible says about death and hell.

Expertise

History, Theology, Government

Awards

Contributions to joint task force efforts (FBI), Contributions to Special Operations Division (DOJ & DEA), Efforts to fight the war on drugs (NSA), Contributions to Operation Storm Front (US Customs Service)

Turn the Ship Around by David Marquet: Book Overview

Have you read Turn the Ship Around by David Marquet? What leadership lessons can be learned? In Turn the Ship Around, David Marquet tells the story of how a captain turned the U.S. Navy’s worst-performing nuclear submarine crew into one of the best by replacing the Navy’s traditional “leader-follower” (or command-and-control) structure with a “leader-leader” model that gave crew members control over their work. Its lessons are applicable to any organization—business, nonprofit, or government. Read more to learn the lessons of Turn the Ship Around by David Marquet.

Love Your Job: The 4 Rules That Might Surprise You

Do you love your job? Have you been looking for this love in all the wrong places? Cal Newport offers four rules for loving your job that he learned through his own experience and research. He found that, contrary to popular opinion, the key isn’t in following your passion. Rather, the key lies in developing skills that you can cash in for the job you want. Keep reading to learn how to love your job.

William Henry Seward: Survivor of an Assassination Plot

How did the plan to kill William Henry Seward tie in with the Lincoln assassination? What happened to Seward and his attacker? In addition to killing Lincoln, John Wilkes Booth wanted to assassinate Vice President Andrew Johnson and Secretary of State William Henry Seward. He hoped that killing several key government officials would rally Confederate sympathizers and veterans to renew their fight. Read more to learn what happened to Seward on the night that Lincoln was assassinated.

Take Pride in Your Work: Lessons From a Submarine

When you take pride in your work, what difference does it make for you—and your work? How can you, as a leader, help others have this attitude—and behavior—of pride? David Marquet shares leadership principles that he employed to turn around a demoralized submarine crew. He offers practical ways—such as the three-name rule—that you can take pride in your work and turn around things for your team. The key is to start with behaving proud, and thinking proud will follow. Read more to learn how taking pride in your work can lead to a change in thinking and morale.

Fulfill Your Personal Mission Through Your Career

How can you dedicate your career to fulfilling your personal mission? What are the practical steps? Having a mission is a trait of a lovable job. It focuses your career, and it’s useful to the world— it might even change the world. When your work makes a difference, you find more joy and satisfaction. You also make a bigger impact and leave a greater legacy. Read more to learn about your personal mission in the context of your career.

Effective Team Communication: Make It Brief & Early

What is effective team communication in the leader-leader model? How can leaders communicate without controlling? Submarine captain David Marquet found that brief and early conversations with his crew at all levels were the key to effective team communication. Ultimately these conversations saved time, prevented mistakes, and focused efforts on the right objectives. Read more to learn this method of effective team communication.

Job Autonomy: How and When to Ask for It

Do you have job autonomy? If not, what’s the best way to acquire it? Job autonomy is the ability to control what you work on and how you work, including schedule and office space. It’s one of the traits that make a job desirable. The best way to have autonomy is to develop skills that make you invaluable. First, it’s helpful to know how important workplace autonomy is—and when it’s the right time to go for it. Read more to learn how and when to secure job autonomy.

How L. David Marquet Turned the Ship Around

What did L. David Marquet do when he first took command of a submarine? What leadership lessons did he get a chance to put into action? Today, L. David Marquet is known as a remarkable leader who turned things around for a demoralized submarine crew. He did this by putting into action the leadership lessons he learned in his early years in the Navy. The primary lesson was realizing that everyone can think and act like a leader. Read more to learn what L. David Marquet did in the first few months of his new command.

Ideological Development: Are Political Views Innate?

How are political views formed? Do we learn them? Or are we born with them? In The Righteous Mind, social psychologist Jonathan Haidt discusses how we can have more constructive conversations with people who have different political leanings than our own. Interestingly, he believes that political ideology is at least partially innate, not just learned. He offers three keys to understanding ideological development, which can help bridge the divide. Read more to learn about ideological development.

The Benefit of Religion: 3 Ways It Makes Us Better

What are the benefits of religion in society? How does religion help make us better as individuals and communities? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt argues that we must understand religion primarily as a social driver that brings people into a community around a belief. Ultimately, this helps us find our moral foundation. Read more to understand the benefits of religion, according to Jonathan Haidt.